Networks and distributed data storage allow data and storage space to be shared between devices located anywhere a connection is available. Implementations may range from a single machine offering a shared drive over a home network to an enterprise-class cloud storage array with multiple copies of data distributed throughout the world. Larger implementations may incorporate Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, Storage Area Network (SAN) devices, and other configurations of storage devices in order to provide data and manage its distribution.
Storage devices may be configured for network access in many ways. However, traditional techniques are complicated and may require much time and effort. For example, conventional storage device configuration techniques require at least some manual configuration. Users may be required to connect a storage device to a management computer via a serial cable to configure the storage device. This may require configuring the management computer to access the storage device via the serial cable, connecting to the storage device via the serial cable, performing a login process, and navigating through various interfaces on the management computer to input various parameters to configure the storage device. These tasks may be time intensive and not user-friendly.
While these techniques are generally adequate for configuring storage devices, they are an inefficient use of user time and may result in incomplete or faulty storage device configurations. Accordingly, techniques that allow for a more user-friendly configuration of storage devices would provide numerous advantages. For example, user efficiency may be improved and configuration errors may be reduced. Thus, while existing storage device configuration techniques have been generally adequate, limitations remain.